Lifting jack



Oct. 31, 1933. A.H. POWELL 1,932,561

LIFTING JACK ,Filed Dec. 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3mm i/frec/ Pan e Oct. 31, 1933. A. H. POWELL 1,932,551

LIFTING JACK Filed Dec. 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 patented (jot. 31 1933 PATENT. OFFICE LIFTING JACK Alfred H. Powell, Logan, Utah Application December 14, 1929 Serial-N0. 413,966

3 Claims.

'My invention relates to jacks and has for its object to provide a new and efficient lifting jack forlifting automobiles or other heavy loads."

A further object is to provide a lifting jack for automobiles whichwill be compact and easily operated.

A still further object is to provide a light weight construction of a jack which will be of sufficient strength to raise the heaviest automobiles with but very little expended effort bythe operators.

These objects I accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views and as described in the specification forming a part of 1 this application and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which I have shown the best and most preferred manner of building my invention Figure 1 is a side elevation thereof, with the handle in place for raising the jack, dotted lines to indicate the limit of the stroke of the handle and other dotted lines showing the handle reversed to lower the jack. Figure 2 is a vertical section through the jack. Figure 3 is a side ele- 25 vation of the operating ratchet wheel and pinion. Figure 4 is a front elevation of the jack.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the jack reversed from that shown in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a plan view of the handle. Figure 7 is a side elevation of the handle. Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 4. Figure 9 is a side elevation of the pivoted support bearing block for the operating shaft. Figure 10 is a side elevation of the other support bearing block.

In the drawings I have shown the base upon which the jack rests as a flat sheet of metal having ribs formed thereon to aid in strengthening the sheet of metal. On the top side of the sheet of metal I then form a vertical rack B. On the front face of the vertical rack B, I form teeth 1 and encompassing the vertical rack B, I provide a casing A, which casing A is provided with a step Al on one side thereof for use when raising cars with very low axles or when the wheel is in a deep rut or mud hole. Transversely through bosses 8 and 9 of the casing A, I pass a shaft 2 which shaft 2 has a gear or pinion 3 formed thereon and which shaft is enlarged at 4 to form a bushing which bushing passes through the boss 9. A ratchet wheel 5 is formed adjacent the bushing 4 and a small shaft 6 is formed on the outer side of the ratchet wheel 5, with a flange '7 formed on the outer end of the shaft 6. I then provide an operating handle C on which handle C is provided with a dog 10 on one side thereof said dog 10 adapted to engage in the teeth of the ratchet wheel 5 and rotate the wheel when the operator presses down on the end of the handle C. The extreme end of the handle C is bifurcated to'form twoprongs 11, said prongs 11 to encompass the stub shaft 6 between the flange 7 and the wheel 5. The other end of the handle C is provided with a hole 12 in the end thereof and angled locking notches 13 are formed on two sides of the hole 12 through the side walls thereof. On one side of the casing A, I provide two bearing blocks 14 and 15 which bearing blocks are spaced apart and have a shaft 16 operable therein. Dotted lines 16A in Figure 1 indicate the moving of the shaft 16 to disengage the teeth of a rotary worm pawl 18 which pawl is secured on the end of the shaft 16 and when the handle C is pressed downwardly the teeth of the pawl 18 will be disengaged from the teeth of the wheel 15, allowing the jack to slide down to the bottom or lowest position. Slow downward motion may be made by rotating the shaft 16, by rotating the handle C. A pin 17 is passed through the shaft 16 near the free end thereof which pin 17 is adapted to fit'into the notches 13 and to act as the means by which the handle C rotates the shaft 16. Above the bearing blocks 14 and 15, I provide a boss 19 protruding from the side wall of the casing A. On the bottom side of the boss 19 I secure a spring 20 and on the end of the spring 20 I provide a saddle 21, which saddle 21 is adapted to fit over the top side of the shaft 16, near the boss 15, with the pressure of the spring 20 to normally hold the teeth of the pawl 18 engaged with the teeth ofthe wheel 5. The bearing blocks 14 and 15 are formed with the top side open so that the shaft 16 may be removed therefrom by removing the spring 20 from the saddle 21 and to provide for pressing down on the handle C when it is engaged with the end of the shaft 16 to raise the pawl 18 from the wheel 5. Collars are provided on the shaft 16 on each side of the bearing block 14 to prevent the shaft from moving longitudinally within its bearings when the jack is being operated. The block 14 is pivotally secured to the casing A by extending a stub shaft into' said casing from the inner side of the said block.

The operation of my device is as follows:

The handle 0 is placed with the prongs l1 engaged over the shaft 6 and the dog 10 is en- 05 gaged, with one of the teeth of the wheel 5. The handle C is then pressed downwardly rotating the wheel 5, the gear 3, and the shaft 2. As the gear 3 rotates it engages in the teeth 1 of the rack B and raises the casing A. With. each downward motion of the handle C the pawl 18 is raised by the teeth of the wheel 5, and the pressure of the spring holds the pawl 18 in constant engagement with'the periphery of the teeth of the wheel 5, engaging with the teeth in rotation around the wheel 5 as the handle C is moved downwardly. The handle C is then raised and as the dog 10 is sloping on its upper side it will pass over the long side of the teeth of the wheel 5. When the operator has raised the handle to its highest position he presses toward the jack and down on the handle engaging the dog 10 with the teeth of the wheel 5, and rotating the wheel 5. Each motion of the handle C engaging the teeth of the wheel 5, rotates the shaft 2 and the gear 3 and raises the casing A upward along the rack B. When it is desired to lower the jack the prongs 11 are removed from the shaft 6 and the hole 12 on the opposite end of the handle C is engaged over the end of the shaft 16 with the pin 17 within. the slots 13'. The handle may then be rotated, which rotation turns the pawl 18 and reverses the movement or rotation of the wheel 5, lowering the casing A on the rack B. When the top of the casing A has been disengaged from under the weight of the load, the outer end of the handle C may be pressed down pivoting the shaft 16 in the block 14 and raising the pawl 18 from the teeth of the wheel 5. When this is done the casing A will drop on the rack B to its lowest position as that shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim:

1. In a jack of the class described the combination of a base having a vertical rack formed thereon; a casing around said rack having bosses formed thereon; a horizontal shaft carried in saidbosses; a ratchet wheel formed on one end of said shaft; a pinion formed in said. shaft with the teeth of the pinion meshing with the teethof the rack; a stub shaft adjacent said ratchet wheel having a flange on the end thereof; bearings on one side of said casing having the top side of said bearings open; a shaft carried in said bearings; a rotary worm pawl formed on one end of said shaft in engagement with the teeth of said ratchet wheel; a boss on said cassaid boss; a saddle bearing on said shaft with the lower end of the spring holding the saddle onto the shaft by spring pressure and holding the pawl in normal contact with the ratchet wheel; a bifurcated handle having a dog on one side thereof adapted to have the bifurcated end passed over the stub shaft and the dog engaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rotate said wheel by the downward motion of said handle; and a hollow end in said handle adapted to be engaged on the end of the pawl driving shaft, to rotate'said shaft and pawl to lower the jack and to allow the operator to press down on the end of the handle, disengaging the pawl from the ratchet wheel to allow the casing to fall to the lowest position after the load has been removed from the top of the casing by the rotation of the pawl.

2. In a jack of the class described the combination of a Vertical rack; 'a casing surrounding said rack; a horizontal shaft across said casing having a ratchet wheel on one end and a pinion medially thereof, said pinion to engage with the teeth of said rack and the rotation of the pinion to raise the casing on the rack; a lever carrying a dog to engage and to rotate said ratchet wheel; spaced apart bearing blocks mounted on said casing; a worm pawl engaged with said ratchet wheelto prevent backward motion thereof and a to allow backward motion when the pawl is rotated said pawl being supported by said'bearing blocks; and meansto normally holdthe pawl in engagement with the ratchet wheel and manually disengage said pawl from theratchet wheel .1

wheel bearing blocks in which said pawl is supported; and means to rotate said pawl to allow downward, motion of said casing.

ALFRED H. POWELL. 

